- Reported in multiple outlets, there's a petition on the Brighton and Hove City Council website—Brighten and Hove is a city in Sussex—that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry be stripped of their "Sussex" title.
- It reads, in part, "As residents of Brighton and Hove we call on Brighton and Hove Council to not refer to these individuals by such titles which we believe to be entirely non democratic and symbolic of the oppression of the general public by the wealthy elite."
- Meghan and Harry, who may already be in the U.S. for the holidays, have (smartly) not commented.
In the latest news I'm filing under "really, really stupid," campaigner Charles Ross started a petition on the Brighton and Hove City Council website in July 2019, about removing the "Sussex" title from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. It's been signed by 3,700 people, and insultingly reads like this:
We the undersigned petition Brighton & Hove Council to reject the usage of the titles "Duke of Sussex" and "Duchess of Sussex" by the individuals Henry ("Harry") Windsor and Rachel Meghan Markle as morally wrong and disrespectful to the county of East Sussex. As residents of Brighton and Hove we call on Brighton and Hove Council to not refer to these individuals by such titles which we believe to be entirely non democratic and symbolic of the oppression of the general public by the wealthy elite. Neither will Brighton Council invite or entertain these individuals nor afford them any hospitality or courtesies above and beyond that of an ordinary member of the public.
The Council is set to vote on it, but is unlikely to back it—also, they apparently have no say in the matter anyways, as the Queen would be the one to confer or take away the title. The Sussexes, who may already be in the United States with Meghan's mom Doria Ragland to celebrate the holidays, did not comment. Which, good for them, TBH. The Sussex account, instead of highlighting the news, has instead chosen to share quotes of love and tolerance:
Also, the petition was slammed by Thomas Mace-Archer-Mills, founder of the British Monarchists Society. "We are utterly dismayed that said petition has been signed by so many...Such a petition shows utter disdain and contempt for The Crown, not to mention copious amounts of disrespect to, and for, the Royal Family which undertakes thousands of engagements per year on behalf of the nation, in right of Her Majesty as The Crown."
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